Dads and grandads have traditionally disappeared after dinner to their little sheds hidden away at the bottom of the garden and this is how most people think of them. Moths and spiders stand in the company forgotten garden tools. But that will soon change thanks to the winner of the 2010 Shed of the Year contest.
The Lady Sarah out of Worthing in Southend-on-sea in Essex, is a pirate's paradise that started life as a humble garden shed. But after years of work the Lady Sarah has beat off competition from 1,250 other UK sheds to the top title, which was judged by TV's Sarah Beeny and the founder of readersheds.co.uk. The Lady Sarah is decorated with skulls, anchors, and even has its own parrot, alongside its Koi Carp pond and decking complete with barrel stools and rum bottles.
However, The Lady Sarah isn't the only shed to be attracting attention at the moment. Ian Johnstone of London found his garden shed pub The White Witch, so popular with the neighbours he's had to extend it twice, so it now boasts a full bar as well as karaoke, plasma television, pool table and fruit machine.
UK shed fanatics are also using their garden sheds as tributes to their favourite books and TV shows, with one man transforming his shed into Dr Who's tardis as a gift to his wife, and Chris Almond of Derbyshire building his shed into the side of a hillside to resemble a Hobbit hole from J.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The disco shed, however, is proving to be the most popular whimsical shed. Featuring a rooftop screen, DJ's and a full light show, the disco shed has appeared at Latitude festival, as well as private events and various London pubs. The 8x6 garden shed has been featured on BBC 6 music and in the Guardian. For a humble garden shed that's not bad.
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